pike traces

[gbthejoiner]

Going to try some dead bait this year, haven't done any for awhile and was just wondering what wire /hook combination you guys where using these days and do you crip or twist them if you make your own, or is it just as easy to buy ready made?

[Yakkin Sam]

I use 30lb wire with size 8 semi barbless trebles, usually around 20" length and I prefer to crimp.

[yorkpiker]

I use 30lb titanium wire which is double crimped as it can slip, titanium is great as it never kinks unlike 7 strand or conventional wires, I also have pear attachments so I can adjust hook size if needed but my hook choice normally would be owner st41 trebles in size 4, mainline is 65lb power pro.
Hope this helps
All the best
John

[Daz]

35lb Knot2Kinky with some good quality size 4 trebles and a size 1 swivel, i havent brought shop ones for over 20 yrs.
Daz

[gbthejoiner]

Thanks for the replies gents. Do you crimp the Knot2Kinky Daz?

[Daz]

Oct 8, 2013 5:18:35 GMT gbthejoiner said:

Thanks for the replies gents. Do you crimp the Knot2Kinky Daz?

i do yes as i think the knot looks poo, i pass the wire through the crimp twice so it leaves a nice neat finish, also test everyone i make.

[gbthejoiner]

Thanks. Daz

[bod72]

I've gone over almost exclusively to circle hooks. Sooooo much safer and easier.

[gbthejoiner]

Went into future fishing at Newark and Tony was singing the praises of circle hooks and showed me a product called Wondertress.
www.futurefishing.co.uk/cannelle-wondertress-2391-p.asp
The only thing that worries me is the delay in winding down and not striking.
How have you found it?
Graham

[Daz]

it all comes down to NOT striking, as an angler it is the way, bite.strike, let us know how you get on please

Daz

[greygoose]

Its how to rig and mount the bait with circles for me, tried them at sea, found them ok on baits I could put on so to speak, but for a big worm bait -gave up.Not sure how I would mount them for pike.Big hair rig?
If you have been using them for a bit Bod, a picture or two and some info would be handy.

[Daz]

the fish in my avatar was taken on a circle hook but was still hooked at the throat, i had a spelt lightly hooked through the tail.

18inches of 30lb wire tied using a knotless knot.

[greygoose]

Cheers Daz, what size circle? and didn,t you get to small assize of fish taking them? hard to hook a herring up ,unless you did a stinger as well I suppose ,that might work.

[bod72]

I use a wire hair for bigger baits which I thread through the bait and secure with a fox deadbait popper and bit of twig for a stop., Small baits I hook through either the tail root or both lips. Hook size I use a 4/0 most of the time which sounds enormous but the gape needs to be wide enough to go round the jawbone of the pike.. I don't really use big baits, nothing over about 6". I don't believe in big baits anyway so it works fine for me. A stinger would defeat the object of the circle hook.

You shouldn't strike with circles - it just pulls the hook straight out of the fish! You have to allow time for the hook to turn into the jaw, so all I do is wind down to the fish and slowly lift the rod to allow the fish to hook itself.

Unhooking is soooooo easy as the pike is always lip hooked. Nothing to get stuck in your hands or the net either.

I have yet to deep hook a fish on circles, and they almost never come adrift during the fight. My hooking ratio has heen good and I believe thay when I do miss a fish, it's generally a small one which has been unable to take the bait properly.

They really are a pleasure to use compared to trebles and I believe they are also far safer for both fish and angler!

[gbthejoiner]

I am quite keen to try circle hooks as I can see the advantages my only worry is deep hooking a fish.
Do you have a preference what make of hook you use bod,as I have been lead to believe hook sharpness is important and some aren't as good as others.
As far as the take goes do you go for the rod straight away and start to wind down, or do you give it a few seconds.
Thanks Graham

[bod72]

It's virtually impossible to deep hook. That's why I use them! They are designed to lip hook and are used a lot by commercial long liners where speed and ease of unhooking is vital.

I have NEVER deep hooked a pike on a circle hook.

I pick up the rod pretty much straight away, check the bait hasn't been dropped, then wind down tight and lift the rod to allow the fish to 'bounce itself' onto the hook.

I prefer Gamakatsu Octopus with a straight eye.

[Daz]

the one thing that all anglers who use circles hooks say is "DONT STRIKE" just tighten up and let the hook find it's place, hard thing to do when you haver all ways striked lol

[Izzetafox]

Does anyone use circles for zander?

Terry

[Daz]

Nov 5, 2013 16:35:08 GMT Izzetafox said:

Does anyone use circles for zander?

Terry

Zander dont tend to get deep hooked but could be worth ago with smaller baits ?

[gbthejoiner]

You got somewhere in mind for the Zander Terry, that's one species that I have yet to catch

[bod72]

I use them for Zeds too in 2/0.

It is hard to get into the mentality of not striking. Also it's hard not worry about the fact the bait isn't bristling with hooks! But I do think everyone should at least try them

[Izzetafox]

Been talking with Cartman over on AA. He knows a friendly tackle dealer in Yorkshire who has mentioned a stretch of the tidal Trent near West Burton Power Station. He is sorting out a launch point.

I have been doing some searching and the barbel guys reckon the area fishes best 2hrs before and after low water. The good thing is that the gravel barges ( they create a draining followed by a surge as they pass) travel at the other end of the tide because of grounding. So that would work well hopefully. Lets hope zander and pike feed to the same pattern.

As soon as things get sorted I will get a post here to see if we can get a group of us there. Safety in numbers .

It could be interesting. I will keep everyone informed.

Terry

[gbthejoiner]

I know that the tidal Trent generally fishes better when the tide is going out.Not sure where the nearest launch point would be and some of the banks are caked in thick black mud yuck

[Izzetafox]

He isback at the tackle shop on Thursday, hopefully more info then.

[esoxuk]

I did some experimenting some years ago with single hooks for pike and found that they actually caused damage to the inside of the pikes mouth. The thicker guage of the wire was tearing the skin instead of gripping and even though I didnt lose fish there was some quite horrendous looking cuts.
I changed over to owner mutu light circles www.breakaway-tackle.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=251 and found they were a lot better as they usually hook up in the scissors not the soft inner flesh. The downside is that to me they only seem suitable for relativley small live baits either lip hooked or knicked through the dorsal area, which are good for perch and zander.
I find that good pike are hard to locate and now use owner ST36 trebles in 4's or 2's dependant upon bait size and strike very early to avoid deep hooking. As for the wire I like AFW 49 strand in 40lb BS www.rokmax.com/product.php?prodid=352&name=Surfstrand+Micro+Supreme+Professional+Grade+%2749%27+Strand+Wire which I crimp, passing the wire 3 times through the crimp to reduce the chance of it pulling through.
Phil

[bod72]

I have tried ordinary singles too and saw the same issues. That's the beauty of the circle hook, it always hooks in jaw so damage is keept to a minimum.

I would always advocate striking asap no matter what. You can still deep hook fish on trebles even with instant strikes though - I have done. I've been piking six months a year for 30 years and can definitely say that no system is failsafe!

One thing which does help indication is using braided mainline which offers no stretch.

[gbthejoiner]

Definitely going to give circle hooks ago. Will let you know how I get on.
Graham

[greygoose]

Interesting reading boys, earlier when I mentioned stingers for circles, I was thinking a circle stinger, with a crimp closure it would be loose and act as it should,the stinger tail could be pinned to keep it close to the bait, if you were after better fish and wanted a bigger bait out ,it would mean you wouldn,t be tempted to give too much time after take,and hook up should improve ,anyone ever tried it ?
Used circles at sea, found for bigger baits I needed to tie my own rigs with a big hair, - pulled through and held with a peg .

[Daz]

Nov 2, 2013 16:34:25 GMT greygoose said:

Cheers Daz, what size circle? and didn,t you get to small assize of fish taking them? hard to hook a herring up ,unless you did a stinger as well I suppose ,that might work.

i was using a 2/0 with smelt, only had the one take which was a mid double, i think a kebab rig could work well with circle hooks, i have spoken to Mick brown and Martin bowler about the use of circle hooks both of them didnt rate them at all

Daz

[bod72]

I have yet to try a circle stinger. Getting it to sit right would be the most important thing.